Kaylah Walton
The treatment of child actors in the entertainment industry has garnered increasing attention, particularly highlighting potential challenges they face. Jake Lloyd epitomizes the struggles that can arise from early fame.
Lloyd is known for portraying young Anakin Skywalker in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. However, he stepped back from acting by 2001, grappling with significant mental health issues thereafter.
His mother has spoken out, indicating that schizophrenia runs in their family and suggesting that Jake’s struggles were likely inevitable, irrespective of his early film career.
In a Scripps News interview, she remarked, “It’s something he had genetically. His psychiatrist concurs that Jake was destined to develop schizophrenia.”
Recently, during a conversation with Clayton Sandell, co-author of “Star Wars: Timelines,” Lloyd shared encouraging updates about his mental health journey at age 35.
A Renewed Outlook for Lloyd
After a significant breakdown in 2023, which included a critical incident on a busy highway, he spent 18 months in a mental health facility in Southern California. He has since transitioned to a new rehabilitation center where he receives ongoing treatment while enjoying more autonomy.
“I feel ready to embrace continued treatment, therapy, and medication,” he expressed. “The support from everyone has been incredible.”
Alongside his struggles with schizophrenia, it was mentioned that Lloyd has anosognosia, a condition that prevents patients from recognizing their own mental health challenges, as defined by the National Institute of Health.
Ultimately, Lloyd is in a much healthier place now compared to two years ago.
